By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 1:21 PM
The following statement comes from F.I.R.E., the African-American firefighters association: Labels: Fire_Dept, Francis_Slay, Mayor, RaceAlmost 50 years ago Black firefighters for the City of St Louis were told by white firefighters that they could not attend the firefighters' barbecue.
F.I.R.E. is holding a press conference today at 5:00 PM at their headquarters, 1020 North Taylor Ave.
Those African American firefighters were given $5.00 by the white firefighters and instructed to go have their own function----because of the color of their skin they were not welcome at any firefighters' event in the City of St Louis. It was out of that incident that F.I.R.E. was founded.
African American firefighters understood then that the racism that infected the fire department could not be cured from the inside out.
Unfortunately little has changed with regard to acts of hate directed at black firefighters.
A few days ago a stuffed monkey was hung by a noose in a northside firehouse. This act of hate comes shortly after the first African American fire chief was forced out and replaced with a lesser qualified white firefighter.
F.I.R.E. (Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality) is demanding that the City of St Louis respond to this act of hate properly and F.I.R.E. is also requesting a Federal Investigation.
38 Comments:
I hope their response to burning buildings is quicker.
They're asking for a federal investigation the day after the Public Safety director referred the rumors to the FBI.
12/12/2007 1:30 PM
Perhaps the FBI will find what was found in Baltimore Fire Department:
" Last May, firefighters at a Baltimore, Md., fire station came under scrutiny for displaying a deer with an afro wig, gold tooth, gold chain and a cigarette hanging from its mouth.
Marvin "Doc" Cheatham, president of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP, went ballistic, charging, "There is now and has been a culture of racism and white supremacy within the Baltimore City Fire Department."
As it turns out, it was a black fireman who dressed up the critter. Cheatham refused to apologize for his accusations of fire department racism, maintaining "there is now and has been a culture of racism and white supremacy within the Baltimore City Fire Department."
On Nov. 21, a hangman's noose was found at the fire station with a note, "We can't hang the cheaters, but we can hang the failures. No EMT-1, NO JOB." The noose and note turned up on the heels of an investigation into allegations of cheating on the test that emergency medical technicians must take for certification.
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, a black, in a written statement said, "I am outraged by this deplorable act of hatred and intimidation. Threats and racial attacks are unacceptable anywhere, especially in a firehouse." Doc Cheatham said, "We're going to demand that this be handled as a hate crime. This thing really needs to end here in Baltimore city." The incident prompted a federal investigation.
Last week, Donald Maynard, a black firefighter-paramedic, confessed to having placed the noose, note and drawing depicting a lynching on a bunk in the firehouse. City officials said Maynard was recently suspended, prior to his confession, from the department Friday for failing to meet requirements for advanced life-saving training. A spokesman for Mayor Dixon said there would be no criminal charges filed."
12/12/2007 2:19 PM
Nancy Drew, you're ignoring a major point.
Chris Molitor, head of Local 73, already acknowledged where the stuffed toy came from. He told the Post that the stuffed animal was found at a fire several weeks ago by firefighters at the station.
"It was put on the coat rack because it was wet and it was drying," Molitor said. As for the rope, he said, it "has been attached to that coat rack for several years."
12/12/2007 2:51 PM
i find it interesting that the person who called in this complaint actually went to FIRE first instead of his commanding officer......makes me wonder whether or not FIRE actually set this up and then sent out the photos to the media?
i'm sure the FBI will get to the bottom of this
12/12/2007 3:02 PM
yeah, so the city asked the fbi yesterday and they agreed to investigate the matter and now f.i.r.e. is asking the the fbi to do the same thing it already agreed to?
i guess f.i.r.e. doesnt watch the news or they're not very smart
12/12/2007 3:08 PM
There is a lot of victim-bashing here.
12/12/2007 3:18 PM
I am glad that fire is finally paying attention. City Hall asked for a fed investigation and Stu obviously agrees.
So fire admits the Mayor made the right decision and therefor agrees with Slay.
Never thought I'd see the day.
12/12/2007 3:25 PM
Such racist acts occur BECAUSE your mayor created the environment in which anti-black, anti-equality racists feel they own the fire department.
12/12/2007 3:34 PM
Huh?
Hey angry guy, the city owns the Fire Department.
Neither Fire or 73 have claim to ownership. 73 respresents the people that work there. Fire represents, er well, Stu and maybe Stu's wallet.
12/12/2007 3:47 PM
Antonio, if that is true, why is there such a big fuss and why is it even worthy of posting here?
12/12/2007 4:38 PM
Nancy Drew, I didn't say it was true.
What I'm saying is that Molitor's comments seem to confirm that this is not, as you suggested, a case of a black firefighter faking a racist incident.
12/12/2007 5:45 PM
No, this is serious. There has been NO discussion of racism in the fire department and there needs to be. the best thing that the white leadership of the fire department (sorry, C.B.) could do is stand up and admit that the city failed its black firefighters in the past, and that it is going to recognize that in its future dealings. That doesn't either mean preferential treatment for black firefighters or excuses for past wrongs, but it is just an acknowledgement of the facts.
Maybe a truth commission, or something like that. It might be informative to most in St. Louis City that back in the day...
a white dude
12/12/2007 7:37 PM
That back in the day for 30 years, for every white firefighter was hired a black one was hired too. White firefighters with education and experience were passed up to allow black folks that were further down on the hiring list was hired. Those blacks who were further down on the hiring list later decided to become company officers and due to their lack of education scored lower and protested their rankings against their better educated white firefighters. One of those who scored lowest on promotional tests eventually became the fire chief. And because of his lack of knowledge and skill(s) he no longer posses a fire position because he let himself become a puppet instead of being his own man. Now hopefully, the department will go in a position where everyone has an enqual chance; black/white/purple/gray, and everyone has a chance to succeed. But to turn a blind eye to the fact that for over 30 years accomidations were made so that blacks can succeed. Now it's time to man up and for them to do things on their own and not expect just because they are black that they should expect to obtain positions before anyone else. Its 2007, if you are better qualified, you get the job. Period
I'm Jim Rome and I am OUT!
SALAMI
12/12/2007 7:49 PM
Question: Where was the stuffed monkey found? Was it on the North Side?
If so, the stuffed monkey is not an insult to African Americans because it was found at a fire in a northside home.
Are these facts correct? This is a question for Antonio and others.
12/12/2007 7:50 PM
It's about 22 clicks before 2100 hours and it's getting colder!!In 1825, a law was passed declaring blacks incompetant so it isn't unusual for "other people" to attempt to demoralize the capacity of Afro people. Personally, I enjoy engaging in provocative conversations with traitors or nighthawks,,right lil jimme? The decendents of George Washington have always likened negroids to "monkeys". Sweet Nancy, monkeys know how to jump, climb and smell. If you get to close to the monkey, as you've labeled black people, they will bite. However, lil sweet nancy, you probably like monkeys...look you're smiling! Leave a banna on the kitchen counter...like leaving cookies and milk for Santa..right? Now let us sing the national anthem and hold hands like the monkeys do in the circus..where they've been held hostage....monkey see..monkey do....Nat Turner
12/12/2007 8:49 PM
Nat, the original Nat Turner was a man of action and probably didn't resort to innuendo and drama. You seem less interested in the facts. I think you're the kind who if called to jury duty would have your mind made up before the evidence was presented. Namecallers rarely if ever (probably never) speak from reason. Their egos (so inflated) won't let them.
12/13/2007 6:51 AM
Well, here's one more African American who won't have to worry about a stuffed monkey or an apology for slavery:
"Man gunned down on North Side
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/13/2007
Two men sitting in a car were shot -- one fatally -- early today on the city's North Side.
About 1:40 a.m. today, someone fired several shots into their car in the 700 block of Doddridge Street. The area is north of North Broadway and Halls Ferry Road.
The two victims were men in their early 20s.
The one who died was sitting in the passenger seat. The driver, also shot several times, was critically wounded, but police expect him to survive.
Police were hoping to identify the dead man this morning.
Detectives haven't found any witnesses yet. They hope to talk to the second victim in the hospital to learn more."
What day, or should we say early morning, passes without one African American killing another, even when attending a funeral service.
So what's needing priority? Saving lives, past history for which all the players are long gone, a silly stuffed animal?
12/13/2007 7:02 AM
Nancy,it doesn't improve society's understanding of urban problems by reproducing negative news that continues to scare people such as yourself from getting involve and implementing realistic solutions,such as overdue economic development throughout areas like Walnut Park. Inner city dysfunction weighs heaviest on people of color. According to the US Census Bureau 80% of all poor African-American live in conditions of concentrated poverty versus 20% of all poor whites. Efforts to improve inner cities neighborhoods have mostly defied sustainable success. Nancy, you accused me of not being informed as a responder to some of the "crap" I hear and read throughout this "good ole boy" town.You name the place and time so we can experience real-time interpersonal communication. Furthermore, there are many positive things taking place throughout North St.Louis. I'm one of the original Black Panthers. Don't talk about it; be about it!!!!...Nat Turner lives vicariously through ME!!! I died the day I was born!!....Nat Turner speaks again..Salaam!!
12/13/2007 1:42 PM
Nancy,it doesn't improve society's understanding of urban problems by reproducing negative news that continues to scare people such as yourself from getting involve and implementing realistic solutions,such as overdue economic development throughout areas like Walnut Park. Inner city dysfunction weighs heaviest on people of color. According to the US Census Bureau 80% of all poor African-American live in conditions of concentrated poverty versus 20% of all poor whites. Efforts to improve inner cities neighborhoods have mostly defied sustainable success. Nancy, you accused me of not being informed as a responder to some of the "crap" I hear and read throughout this "good ole boy" town.You name the place and time so we can experience real-time interpersonal communication. Furthermore, there are many positive things taking place throughout North St.Louis. I'm one of the original Black Panthers. Don't talk about it; be about it!!!!...Nat Turner lives vicariously through ME!!! I died the day I was born!!....Nat Turner speaks again..Salaam!!
12/13/2007 1:45 PM
So you say salaam after ranting a bit and proclaiming self to be someone else. What if someone were to say to you, "Ou Allah ihekumik?" "Salaam" means peace in Arabic (which I studied and spoke), but you do not promote peace.
East St. Louis has been in the hands of African Americans for more than a half century. What kind of shape is it in? Look at all the corruption and graft in government and schools. Read James Ingram's columns in the St. Louis American.
Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver couldn't stand it in Algeria near where I lived and was happy to get back to this fallible USA.
Now I say to you, Allah ibarakik.
12/13/2007 4:49 PM
Nancy, so you're from Algeria? What brings you to Missouri? The fresh air, the Arch, ribs or the women of the southern confederacy? Are you really attracted to black people or are you some sort of foreign insurgent? Are you married to a black man? If you're so unhappy why do you remain in the New World? I believe you're fascinated by black men...respond to Nat Turner..tell me more..please
12/13/2007 5:21 PM
Nancy, so you're from Algeria? What brings you to Missouri? The fresh air, the Arch, ribs or the women of the southern confederacy? Are you really attracted to black people or are you some sort of foreign insurgent? Are you married to a black man? If you're so unhappy why do you remain in the New World? I believe you're fascinated by black men...respond to Nat Turner..tell me more..please
12/13/2007 5:22 PM
Nat, I didn't say I was from Algeria. I said I lived near where he lived in Algeria (but it was in a country next to Algeria).
Anyone who has lived in various countries in Africa will tell you there is less freedom, just as much discrimination as here, and with more corrupt, greedy rulers. Think: Idi Amin, Mugabe, et al. The people of Zaire cry out for deliverance from the brutality of Mugabe, more the black Africans than the whites.
Students from Togo and Senegal could tell you what they experienced in their own native lands.
By the way, the biggest slave traders during the worst of the slave trade were Arab Muslims, and they remain so today. Look what they've done to the blacks of Darfur.
It could be worse elsewhere.
12/13/2007 6:11 PM
Nat, Nancy just schooled you. Sit down, be quiet and stop acting like a fool.
12/13/2007 8:56 PM
Nancy couldn't school anyone, not even with a Gerald Levert compilation!
East St Louis was black longer than 50 years and it wasn't blacks who tore the town up, it was riots similar to Black Walstreet of Tulsa OK, due to whites being jealous that blacks prosperred among themselves and chose to remain by themselves.
Nancy Drew has a consistency for bringing up unrelated shiznit to avoid the issue at hand.
I hope Nancy is no where involved in education due to the lack of knowledge concerning basic facts. Anyone who knows anything about the relationship between diaspora and race relations know that Marcus Garvey started the back to Afrika crusade due to treatment he received in East St. Louis. And Nancy Drew can only solve mysteries that occured in the past 50 years!
When you get through talking, the monkey incident happened and talking about other unrelated sh** doesn't change it!
12/13/2007 9:52 PM
Po righteous teacher, read James Ingram's columns week after week.
Strange, most folks wouldn't call themselves "righteous." Only others could determine if someone is righteous and in the end only God. Kind of arrogant on one's part, isn't it?
12/14/2007 5:25 AM
Oh, and by the way, Po Righteous Teacher, do you read about the war in Liberia. Guess what's at the bottom of it if you can.
The American blacks who went to Liberia enslaved many of the native African blacks and created a class system that today represents the two sides of the brutal war which has sent Liberian refugees here and even to St. Louis and into the St. Louis Schools where St. Louis African Americans now mistreat them.
12/14/2007 5:28 AM
Lil Nancy, I was going to go into my reason for disliking some white people (and I still will), but I sort of got stuck on this 'defence' as it's something people are accustomed to using, and it annoys me a great deal. This was to be my first reason: that whenever we , as black people, open our mouths to talk about racism, some whites are quick to stifle us by bringing up the 'But blacks sold their fellow blacks too' card. I'm sick of this attempt at a cop-out, and will now address this stupidity.
First of all, yes. Blacks did indeed sell blacks. I can hear the self-congratulatory cheers and back-slaps being passed around the white crowd now. But if people understood the nature of 'slave' trade back in Africa, then they would shut up about it. The concept of slavery has always been around. In fact, every ethnic group on the planet (whites included) have sold members of their own ethnic group into slavery. No mention seems to made of that Nancy, but when it comes to black people, it must be overemphasized. Why Nancy? Eastern Europeans fight all the time and its not known as savagery...They say its tribalism? Why the double standard when it comes to black people?..Now think Nancy before you respond..What was prevalent practice in Africa was having servants (domestic slavery). Slaves were employed by kings, chiefs, and wealthy people in their houses as domestic servants. The number of slaves a man had usually determined his social status. Usually many of the slaves were captives of war. Ladys and gentlemen-and Nancy, now enter the white man with goods like iron, whiskey, linen, gin cotton and wool and gunpowder offering them in exchange for slaves.
The Trans Atlantic slave'trade' (led by white people and their demand) fuelled into tribal wars as these few rich blacks battled neighboring towns and villages purely in order to obtain slaves to exchange for these goods.
Nancy, I neglected to tell you that I've been to Africa 37 times. Nancy , between the years 1650 and 1900, historians estimate that at least 28 million Africans were forcibly removed from Central and Western Africa as slaves. Unknown numbers (probabably at least 4 million) of Africans died in slave wars and forced marches before being shipped. Like Richard pryor said in one of my favorite comedy albums, "Bicentennial N-gger", "half of us died along the middle passage", so the numbers are staggering! Within Central Africa itself, the slave trade precipitated migrations: coastal tribes fled slave trade and slave labour transformed the world. But is this all there is to it?
White people are fond of absolving themselves of responsibility in this regard, even using Hollywood to show Blacks capturing Blacks into slavery, as if this was the only way capture occurred. Nancy, you mention something about Arabs, but I'll deal with that later my little turle-dove. Somebody said something about being schooled? Oh, that was two PhD's ago. Oh! Oh!
Despite concerted efforts by Europecans! Ooops! Often under the guise of a strong Christian ethic, African culture and oral traditions survived and flourished. This is why to this day, black culture is talked about all over the world. It is important to note that African culture survived despite attempts to alienate enslaved Africans from their natal context by:
-separating those from the same ethnic groups
-renaming them with slave names
-removing African instruments such as drums from their midst for fear that they would be used to communicate.
Karl Marx wrote: "The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brain of the living."
The American revolution created a system of liberty for white people, with the rich ruling. Yet the same liberty failed to end slavery for black people.
Nancy, you forgot about South Africa! Up until 2004, 80% of agricultural land was owned by white South Africans, who make up only 10% of the population-the legacy of apartheid laws.
Okay, Francis Slay said we need to work on racial divide in the Fire Dept? I'm willing to invoke my 2 cent......Nat Turner speaks again!
12/14/2007 1:41 PM
Small minded Nat, can't reason with a man who quotes Marx who along with Lenin and Stalin was responsible for millions more dealths of the poor than Hitler or one who thinks women are obsessed with black men because he's enamoured with himself.
Your quotes are not from credible historians because they contain the most unreal, exaggerated statistics anyone could make up.
You're a man who blames or excuses people based on skin color and not on heinous acts. In the global scheme of things, a very small percentage of whites had black slaves. Over 3,000 plus black households in the South had black slaves, and the Cherokee Indians also had black slaves.
These were acts by individuals, not a race of people. African chieftains begged European governments and capitols not to abolish slavery or slave trade because it would cut off their commerce.
American freed Negros went to Liberia and enslaved native Liberians.
Jesse Jackson is more afraid of a black behind him than a white because he fears being killed by a gangbanger.
No, Nat Turner, when you're ready to deal with accurate facts and able to disregard color when it comes to guilt, someone might be able to reason with you. But right now, you're not a reasonable person (could be a woman as well as a man).
How man blacks have to be killed by blacks before you see the depravity of man regardless of race?
Haiti was liberated from slavery by L'Ouverture and others. Look at the state of affairs of Haiti today under centuries of corrupt black rule.
Go do you homework and search for the truth instead of lies and exaggerations.
Some whites had black slaves, but most whites had no slaves.
12/14/2007 6:45 PM
Nancy, let me provide my profile for you...ok? I'm a former Special Forces soldier. I've served America in two military conflicts(Operation Just Cause and Desert Storm). I've never been incarcerated. I do 350 push-ups and 275 sit-ups everyday. I run 15 miles a week. I eat selective sea food, no red meat or pork. I love vegetables. I meditate 7 hours a week. I believe in protecting the children and the elderly. I believe in supporting veterans. I have no respect for politicians. I'm a big advocate for protecting the environment. I admire Al Gore. I read between 175-200 books a year. I love Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley (real journalist). I pay taxes. I vote. I believe in family and Spiritual Faith....I'm self employed. I have an impressive educational background and I'm grew up in Walnut Park. I've traveled around the world. I've been to six continents.....And most importantly, I fear no man!!
Are you in my league?
What do you bring to the table?
Are you in a position to provide assistance for the impoverished?
I resent men who wear white hoods.
I don't hate white people, I just dispise some.I love black people.
..........What's your deal?...Nat Turner speaks!
12/14/2007 7:43 PM
Nat, it's incredible that anyone with as much experience and education that you purport to have has expressed himself as you did in past postings, demeaning to women, sarcastic, and replete with exaggerations.
Now I have to ask, is your boastful profile mostly exaggeration as well? Is it akin to Virvus Jones' claim to military service or medals that never existed?
Psychologists note that boys are given to exaggeration. Some men never grow up and continue the trait late into life.
So, who can believe what?
As for helping the impoverished, I do all that I can do. I lived among the poorest and most destitute in North Africa and helped many. Throughout my teenage and adult life I have focused on the needs and justice for the poor regardless of skin color.
As a young girl, I spent time with my youth group at the Annie Malone Children's Home and was greatly impressed by the cleanliness, the love, and the care given to the children there.
The only political contribution I have ever made for a presidential candidate was for an African American man, and it wasn't Barack Obama.
I am not obsessed with black men, as you demeaningly suggest; I am obsessed with truth and justice, and justice cannot come with a foundation of lies and deception.
My profile is unimportant. What is important is a quest for truth and justice and to defend both for others.
12/15/2007 6:15 AM
Oh, and Nat, if you have been to as many places as you say you have, you would be blind to not recognize how universal injustice and oppression are and how they include every tribe and race. Some of the worst and most grevious injustices and oppressions take place across the continent of Africa. By the way, not all Africa is black. North Africa is white Africa and has been for millennia. Have you never come to terms with the fallen nature of mankind?
At least Eldridge Cleaver learned those lessons from his expatriate experiences.
Back to the fire station and the stuffed doll. Whether a stuffed teddy bear and calling for the execution of a teacher who did not name the bear or a drying stuffed monkey, how ludicrous to spew out so much hate over stuffed dolls. There are more serious matters in this world for which to express outrage.
12/15/2007 6:46 AM
Nat said:
"I have no respect for politicians...I admire Al Gore".
Hmmm...
12/15/2007 10:46 AM
Nat, your last comment doesn't quite make sense or relate to the issue or what you have previously expressed.
12/15/2007 6:07 PM
Nat, are you married (wink)?
Nancy, the fact that you couldn't overstand his statements or make a correlation does not DICtate that there was none, HEAD!
12/16/2007 12:54 PM
Po righteous teacher, then please tell us what it is.
12/16/2007 1:42 PM
I will not allow anyone an opportunity to manifest my destiny. Your perception is not my reality.Nat Turner
12/16/2007 3:19 PM
In other words, "Don't ask me to make sense or to explain clearly what I mean. I ask the questions. I don't answer them."
12/16/2007 6:55 PM
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